It's late at night.

Chapter 11: The Cabin in the Woods, The Cannibalistic Agreement

Xia Yao's pupils trembled. The prop... worked?

He simply couldn't determine the specific function of the pointer.

Is it indicating a safety exit?

Or is it pointing to the location of the ghost?

Unable to make a decision at the moment, he chose the side road as a precaution.

After wandering around for a while, he finally calmed down and analyzed his surroundings, especially focusing on the faint orange scent at the tip of his nose.

He quickly determined that the orange scent was coming from the opposite direction of the pointer.

Could this prop really get him out?

Was it the ghost's deception that drove him into a dead end?

The lights grew dimmer, and the gray-white ground was covered in water stains, but he still couldn't find the exit.

As the scent of oranges grew stronger and gradually overwhelmed the fragrance of flowers, Xia Yao, having nowhere else to turn, chose to walk down the path indicated by the compass.

At each intersection, the red pointer will start spinning again, indicating a new direction.

Xia Yao ran in the direction indicated by the pointer while looking back.

After running for a while, the water trails behind me increased rather than decreased, and the scent of oranges still lingered.

Xia Yao began to doubt whether her speculation was wrong.

Did the pointer lead him in circles just to trap him?

What about the way out? Is it the side path after excluding the directions of the pointer?

"Click—"

The sound of branches snapping behind him brought his nerves to their limit.

Xia Yao gritted her teeth and decided to give it one last try; if it didn't work, she would try a different path.

The new road, which I thought would lead to endless forks, turned out to be a straight path this time.

There was no water stain on the gray-white flagstones, and light shone at the end of the flower wall, making the roses appear even more vibrant.

And so, it appeared, fresh and vibrant, at the export market.

Xia Yao could hardly believe it. She had been unable to find a way out before, but now it had just appeared out of nowhere. Wasn't it a bit too easy?

The lights inside the flower wall were dim, and he had no time to think; he could only rush towards the exit.

But exiting the maze did not mean the end; when Xia Yao saw the scenery outside, everything went black.

Oranges, orange trees, there's an orange grove outside!

Xia Yao hurriedly tried to turn around, but the rose maze behind her had disappeared, leaving only a damp, empty patch of mud.

This is clearly not the original scenic area; it's a place from before the area was developed.

Damn it, we were definitely set up.

Xia Yao looked down at the compass in her hand again. The red pointer had stopped turning and seemed to have malfunctioned.

Xia Yao took a deep breath, and just as he was wondering what to do, a voice sounded beside him.

"Brother Su, is that you?"

A head popped out from the low bushes; it was Lan Yuanshan.

Upon seeing her fellow sufferers who had come in with her, Xia Yao's first reaction was to take a few steps back.

A rusted incandescent bulb hung from a simple wooden pole, its dim light revealing Lan Yuanshan's disheveled appearance.

His hair was a bit messy, with leaves on it, and his face was a little dirty, with mud and cuts from thorns.

"What, what happened to you?"

Xia Yao was very wary. He had some doubts about whether the teammate in front of him was actually a ghost in disguise.

"Don't even mention it. I couldn't find my way, so I climbed over that flower wall, and then I found myself here."

Lan Yuanshan gritted his teeth and showed his hand, which was scratched by thorns, "Those damn flowers have so many thorns, they scratched my hand."

To allow the roses to climb and take shape better, there is a sturdy iron frame behind the flower wall. They can indeed climb, but they are prickly.

This teammate must be real, right?

Despite her skepticism, Xia Yao accepted this teammate.

He felt he was very unlucky and needed someone to share the risk.

"Brother Su, look, where did that maze area go?"

Lan Yuanshan emerged from the bushes, seemingly wary of Xia Yao, maintaining a safe distance.

"You're asking me? You're asking a newbie like me?" Xia Yao was speechless.

Lan Yuanshan smiled awkwardly, "Actually, I don't know much about it either. This is my second time here. I was lucky to survive last time because someone guided me."

Xia Yao did not doubt his words; she could tell from his behavior during the surveillance.

Lan Yuanshan's anxiety was palpable when he received the takeout; it didn't seem like an act.

Xia Yao felt a little more at ease and then shared her thoughts.

"This is very likely the time before the ghost was killed. At that time, the orange grove had not yet been cut down, and the scenic area had not yet been built. We may need to find something to leave."

"I see." Lan Yuanshan nodded in sudden understanding. "Then let's hurry up and look."

"It's not that easy."

Xia Yao sighed, but still began her exploration.

He put the malfunctioning compass back in his pocket and walked toward the light.

The orange grove was dark, and the hanging fruit emitted a slightly sour smell, making it look unsafe.

In the other direction, there were simple lights at intervals, seemingly there to guide them there.

After passing several lights, Xia Yao saw a chicken coop that had been enclosed.

Dozens of chickens huddled in a low shed, startled by the arrival of people, and clucked loudly.

Not far from the chicken coop is a low bungalow, constructed of red bricks, cement, and corrugated steel sheets, which has a very old feel to it.

The wooden door was open, and the lights were on inside, but no one was there.

"Hey, look, here's the clue!"

Lan Yuanshan's eyes lit up when he saw the bungalow, and he couldn't wait to go to the door.

Xia Yao hesitated for a moment, but did not stop them; it was good to have someone scout ahead.

He watched Lan Yuanshan enter, while he observed the outside.

After scanning the area, Xia Yao spotted a surveillance camera.

The old-fashioned camera was mounted in the corner of the wall where farm tools were standing and bicycles were parked. The branches and leaves of the osmanthus tree next to it made it not so conspicuous and easy to miss if you didn't look carefully.

The surveillance camera covered the front door of the bungalow and the enclosed chicken coop, which was probably set up by the homeowner to prevent chicken theft.

"Brother Su, come quick, there's something!" Lan Yuanshan shouted as he poked his head out of the house.

Xia Yao waited and observed for a while, and only after confirming that his teammates were alright did he cautiously step into the house.

The simple furniture and appliances suggest the homeowner is not wealthy, but the items are neatly arranged and the cement floor is swept clean, indicating that the homeowner is someone who takes life seriously.

"What did you find?" Xia Yao asked bluntly.

Lan Yuanshan waved the document in his hand. "Look, the agreement!"

Xia Yao took it, quickly scanned the text on it, and finally fixed her gaze on the amount.

"Remote mountainous area, low-yield mixed forest, 8000 yuan per mu?"

When Xia Yao read the key phrases aloud, she felt it was absurd.

"Isn't this just ripping off honest people?!"

This price, while seemingly including compensation for the crops, clearly appears to be a case of price gouging, taking advantage of the villagers' lack of knowledge.

"That's right. They've farmed the land their whole lives, and they want to take it all away with just a word. It's truly hateful."

Lan Yuanshan gritted his teeth, as if he were seeing things from the homeowner's perspective.